Dual electric circuit control device



y 1932- T. H. ERELAND 1,858,779

DUAL ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 8, 1930 INVEN TOR. 7210/11/45 H. flit LAND Patented May 17, 1932 THOMAS H. IRELAND, or nocxvILLE CENTER, NEW YORK DUAL ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROL DEVICE Application filed November 8, 1980. Serial No. 494,384.

This invention relates to dual electric circuit control devices adapted for use in connection with apparatus of various kinds and classes, and for the purpose of the disclosure herein set forth is adapted to control the automatic functioning of humidifiers; and the object of the invention is to provide a control device of the class specified involving a movably supported armature having end portions adapted to be actuated by electromagnets disposed in juxtaposition to the end portions of the armature, and means in operative engagement with said movable armature for actuating a predetermined device or mechanism to control the function and operation thereof in the respective movements of the end portions of said armature; a further object being to provide a control device of the class described, the armature of which is in the form of a rocker arm or lever, means being employed to automatically break the circuits to the respective electromagnets in the completion of each movement imparted to the armature by said electromagnets; a further object being to provide means for controlling the circuits to independent electromagnets to govern and control the movement attributed to said armature and the functioning and operation of the device controlled thereby; a further object being to provide a circuit controlling means involving a humidostat, the actuation of which will control the comple- 7 tion of the circuit to the respective electromagnets; and with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, efiicient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in .Whichthe separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each ofthe views, and in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a humidi? fier, indicating the arrangement of one of my improved control devices thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of part of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale; and,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detail view diagrammatically illustrating the control device, humldostat, and the electric circuit between these devices.

While my circuit control device has many adaptations and uses, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, one method of carrying my invention into' effect. In the drawings, I have shown a humidifying apparatus of the general structure of a similar device disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,730,212, dated October 1, 1929.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have indicated at 5 a radiator for heating a room or compartment of any kind or class, and 6 represents the floor upon which the radiator is support- '7 ed, 7 the steam supply pipe for supplying steam to the coils of the radiator, and 8 the usual controlvalve. Mounted in or on the pipe 7, preferably below the floor 6 is a humidifier casin 9, the bottom of which is provided with a ongitudinal steam passage or chamber 10, above which. is formed a water chamber 11. A predetermined level of wa ter is maintained'in the chamber 11 by a supply tank 12 so as to provide a water passage 13 in the upper end of the chamber 11, whereo by air ma be circulated overthe water in the cham er 11, the air being admitted through a supply pipe 14 coupled with the floor 6 and opening outwardly through the floor substantially at floor level, and the air in the passage 13 is discharged through the pipe 15, which passes upwardly through the floor 6 and is discharged adjacent the upper end of theradiator 5 as seen at 15a. The discharge end portion of the pipe 15 is preferably arranged adjacent the coils oftheradiator 5. A beveled plate 16 is preferably employed in the assage 13 adjacent the admission end thereoi so as to retardthe flow of air and to direct it over the surface of the water stored in the chamber 11. j

The supply tank 12 is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, water being admitted to the tank through a supply pipe 17 havin a shut off valve 18, the feed into the tank eing controlled by a float actuated valve 19, the float being indicated at 20. in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The rod 21 of the float is pivoted to a suitable support 22 as seen at 23, the short end of the rod 21 being 'cou led with the valve as seen at 24, note Fig. 3 o the drawings. An overflow pipe 25 is employed which opens into the upper portion of the tank at the end thereof opposite the inlet. At 26, I have shown a pipe for placing the tank 12in communication with the housing 9, the pipe 26 being so arranged in the tank 12 and so coupled with the housing 9 as to maintain the desired water level in the chamber 11. p The opposite side wall of the tank 12 is apertured to receive the pipe 26 in a different installation, this latter aperture being closed by a plug'27 in the installation shown. Traversing the upper end portion of the tank 12, adjacent the inlet end thereof is a shaft 28, centrally of which is a cam 29 arranged to operate upon the short end of the rod 21. This cam serves to hold the valve 19 in seated position when the end 30 of an armature 31 is in depressed position as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The armature 31 is secured to one end of the shaft 28 outwardly of the tank 12, and the other arm 32 of said armature is disposed angularly with respect to the arm 30 so that the movement of the end portions 30-32 in the direction of pairs of electromagnets 33 and34 respectively will cause the shaft 28 to be oscillated, thus moving the cam 29 into position to lock or release the rod 21 of the flog]: to control the supply of water to the ta The dual electromagnets are preferably employed to adapt the device to both direct and alternating current supplies, but it will be understood that my invention is not nec essarily limited to the use of a pair of electromagnets. The magnets 33 and 34 are ars ranged upon and insulated from a suitable support 35. attached to one side of the tank 12. Mounted on and insulatedfrom the support are three terminals or binding posts 36, 37 and 38. The bindingposts 36 and 37 are in circuit with spring contacts 39 and 40 respectively,'and adapted to normally engage contacts 41 and 42 on the pairs of electromagnets 33-34 respectively in completing the circuit through said magnets. The ends of the arms 30 and 32 are provided with shoes 58 43 and 44 of insulating material, which are adapted to. engage the spring contacts 39 and 40 to move the same out of engagement with the contacts 41 and 42 when the arms 30 and 32 are moved into engagement with the respective electromagnets.

.' As a means of controlling the circuit tothe electroma nets, I have shown in the ac.- companying rawin s'a control devicesuitable for the partic .ar apparatus disclosed, namely a humidostat comprising a suitable base 45 of insulating material, upon which is supported a yoke-shaped frame 46, and one end of which has an adjustment screw 47 supporting one end of the humidostat ele-' ment 48, the other end of said element being coupled with theshort arm 49 of a switch lever 50 ivoted as seen at 51 to the other end of tlEe frame 46. The switch arm 50 is in circuit with the frame 46 and insulated from said frame and supported on the last end thereof is a contact 52. Another contact 53 is supported on the mounting plate 45, the contacts 52 and 53 being disposed on and with the contact 53. The'other side of -the electric supply 54 is placed in circuit with the frame 46 or contact 50 through a wire 59.

.The element 48 of the humidostat is in i the form of a perforated bar of wood, sensitive to diflferent temperature conditions that may prevail in a room, especially asto the dryness or moistness of the air so-that this element will expand and contract to control the operation of the contact 50 in completing the circuit.

In Fig. 40f the drawings, the element 40 is shown subjected to moisture conditions whereby the contact 50 is moved into engagement with the contact 52 to complete the circuit through the electromagnets 33, and

-the completion of this operation is shown in said figure, the arm 30 of the armature.

having been depressed. In completing this operation, the previousl closed circuit to the electromagnets isbro en,- by moving the. spring contact 39 out of engagement with the contact 41. This constitutes one of the important features of my'invention in that it will be apparent that no consumption of electric supply is required, except in the instantaneousand intermittent completion of the circuit through the respective electromagnets to move the cam 29 into locked or open position to control the supply of water to the'tank 1 2, and thus to the chamber 11.

Dealing with the apparatus and the electric control as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the circuit would'remain in the position indicated until such time that the element 24 would cause, due totemperature conditions of a room in which the same is arranged, the contact 50 to move into engagement with the contact 35, which would complete the circuit through the electromagnets 34, drawing thevalve 18 and allow water to again enter time as the moisture content of the atmos- .ters Patent, is: j

, controlling the supply of water to the hu-' phere in the room again rises to such a degree as to cause the element 28 to move the contact 50 again into engagement with the contact 52, thus returning the arm 30 into the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, against stopping the supply of water to the tank 12. l

It will be understood that the humidostat is arranged at any desired place in the-room or compartment, the temperature of which is controlled by the radiator 5 and the humidifier for such radiator and room. At this time, it will also be understood that one humidostat may be used for controlling the operation of a plurality of humidifiers, especially when the humidostat may be placed in a central location which would control several radiators and humidostats in one room or in a group of rooms. 1

As previously stated, it will be apparent that my invention is not necessarily limited in its use to the particular type of apparatus herein disclosed, as the dual switch device may be employed to control devices and apparatus of various kinds and classes, nor am I necessarily limited to the particular type of circuit control switch in the form of the humidostat herein disclosed, and various other changes in and modifications of the structure herein set out may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departin from the spirit of my invention or sacri cing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letr 1. An automatic control device for humidifiers of the class described involving a float midifier. said device comprising a member controlling the operation of the float, an armature for operating said member and having oppositely disposed arms, electromagnets arranged adjacent the arms of the armature, said magnets being in independent electric circuits whereby the completion of the respective circuits will actuate said arms to impart difi'erent movement to said member to control the actuation of said float.

2. An automatic control device for humidifiers of the class described involving a float controlling the supply of water to the humidifier, said device comprising a member controlling the operation of the float, an armature for operating said member and having oppositely disposed arms, electromagnets arranged adjacent the arms of the armature, said magnets being in independent electric circuits whereby the completion of the respective circuits will actuate said arms 1 to impart different movement to said memher to control the actuation of said float, an

automatically actuated switch controlling the completion of the circuit to said magnets, and

ifiers oft-he class described involving a float controlling the supply ofwater to the-humidifier, said device comprising a member controlling the operation of the float, an armature; for operating said member and having oppositely disposed arms, electromagnets arranged adjacent the arms of the armature, said magnets being in independent electric circuits whereby the completion of the respective circuits will actuate said arms to impart different movement to said member to control the actuation of said'fioat, means on the end portions of said arms and adjacent the electromagnets for breaking the circuit to the magnet to each arm on completing the movement of the arms toward the' respective magnets, and an automatically actuated switch controlling the completion of the circuits to saidmagnets.

4. An automatic control device for humidifiers of the class described involving a water supply tank and a float in said tank control- 'ling the supply of water to the humidifier, a,

valve in operative-engagement with the'pivoted end of the float for opening and closing the water supply passageto said tank, said control device comprising a member arranged in the tank and cooperating with the pivoted end ofthe float to control the operation of said float, said member being arranged on a shaft projecting from one side of said tank, an armature on the projectmg end of said shaft and including oppositely disposed, angularly arranged arms, and

'means involving electromagnets adjacent the arms of said armature and an automatically actuated switch cont-rolling independent oncuits to the magnets of'each arm for controlling the operation of said member. 5. An automatic control device for humidlfiers of the class described involving a water supply'tank and a-float in said tank controlling the supply of water to the humidifier, a valve in operative engagement with the-pivoted end of the float for opening and closing the water supply passage to said tank, sald control device comprising a member arranged in the tank and cooperating with the'plvoted end of the float to control the operation of said float, said member'being. arranged on a shaft projecting from one side of said tank an armature onthe'projecting end of sand shaft and including oppositely disposed, an-

gularly arranged arms,--and means involving v mature and an automatically actuated switch controlling independent circuits to the mag nets of each arm for controlling the operation of said member, said last named means including means for breaking the circuit to the electromagnets on completing the movement of said arms toward the magnets.

6. An automatic control device for humidifiers of the class described involving a water supply tank and a float in said tank controlling the supply of water to the humidifier, a valve in operative engagement with the pivoted end of the float for opening and closmg the water supply passage to said tank, said control device comprising'a member arranged in the tank and cooperating with the pivoted end of the float to control the operation of said float, said member being arranged on a shaft projecting from one side of said tank, an armature on the projecting end of said shaft and including oppositely disposed, angularly arranged arms, means involving electromagnets adjacent the arms of said armature and an automatically actuated switch controlling independent' circuits to the magnets of each arm for controlling the operation of said member, said last named means including means for breaking the circuit to the electromagnets on completing the movement of said arms toward the magnets, and a humidostat controlling the actuation of said automatically actuated switch.

7. An automatic control device for humidifiers of the class described employing a water supply tank, a float pivotally supported in the tank and actuating a valve to control the supply of water thereto, said device, comprising a unit supported in connection with the tank and comprising a member in operative engagement with the pivoted end of thefloat for controlling the operation thereof, an armature arranged outwardly of the tank' and controlling the operation of said member, said armature having oppositely disposed arms, an electromagnet adjacent each arm, said magnets being in independent and normally closed circuits, and means involving an automatically actuated switch for completing the circuits to said magnets in controlling the operation of the float through said member.

supply of water thereto, said device compris ing a unit supported in connection with the tank and comprising a member in operative engagement with the pivoted end of the float for controlling the operation thereof, an armature arranged outwardly of the tank and, controlling the operation of said member,'

said armature having oppositely disposed arms, an electromagnet adjacent each arm,

mally closed circuit, means involving an au-- my invention I have signed my name this 7th day of November, 1930.

THOMAS H. IRELAND.

said magnets being in independent and nori 

